


More Than Just a Story

by anycsifan



Category: MASH (TV)
Genre: F/M, Journalism, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-06 22:42:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14657733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anycsifan/pseuds/anycsifan
Summary: Journalist Elizabeth Wilde has come to the 4077th in a search for a unit to write a series of articles about. Charles comes back from an aid station and finds they share common interests.





	More Than Just a Story

Charles was glad to be back at the 4077. Festering sewer though it was, the place he was temporarily calling home   
was still better than a front line aid station anyday. After droppig his luggage in the swamp he headed over to the O. Club  
for a much needed drink. He'd barely stepped through the door when he heard the voices of his tent mates.

"Welcome home Charles," BJ greeted.

"Yes, Charles, welcome back to home, rotten home," Hawkeye quipped.

"Thank you," Charles said in a chipped tone. Whilst BJ seemed genuinely welcoming, the same could not be said of his   
clownish counterpart. Charles walked past the first table, which was occupied by a number of nurses, and went to the bar.  
"Cognac."

"Coming up Major."

At the table not far from him Charles heard one of the nurses say "Romeo and Juliet is rather romantic." Charles let out an  
exhasperated sigh, he was in no mood to deal with such fanciful thoughts.

Lucky for him an unfamiliar voice spoke up. "Romeo and Juliet is about two blindly prejudicial families. Whilst one   
patriarch was willing to be welcoming, his nephew was not. If it wasn't for the forbidden nature of the, more than likely,  
hormonally charged romance, then the two wouldn't have been in such a rush to tie the knot. Romeo could've courted her   
properly, and they could've had a proper romance, or they could've split like Romeo and Rosalind had at the beginning of   
the play."

The nurse was speechless for a moment, but eventually dare to speak. "Then which Shakespeare play do you find romantic?"

"Twelfth Night is rather romantic, I also enjoy Much Ado About Nothing," she answered. "And before you ask my preferred   
tragedy, which is what Romeo and Juliet is considered, that would be Hamlet."

Charles smiled and walked over to the table. "I must commend your tastes miss, I too am a fan of those plays."

"Thank you Major."

"Winchester, Charles Emmerson Winchester III."

"My, that's a mouthful. Eitherway, I'm Elizabeth Wilde, and it's a pleasure to make your aquaintance." She held out her  
hand, which Charles more than willingly took.

"The pleasure is mine, for it's not often that this camp is graced with the presence of someone who posses such  
a mind for literature."

She blushed at the grand compliment. "You're too kind Major Winchester, but thank you."

"Please, Miss Wilde, call me Charles."

"In that case, would you care to sit down Charles?" She gestured to the now vacant seats. "And you can call me Elizabeth."

"I would love to Elizabeth." Just as he was about to take a seat he heard the ambulances pull in. "The war, however, seems  
to have other plans."

"I understand, go, I'll be around for a while."

Charles nodded before running to the ambulances with the others.

In the O.R. Charles was just plucking the last piece of shrapnel out of a boy who looked barely old enough to be in the   
army when Hawkeye decided to send the conversation in his direction. "So, Charles, what do you think of our visitor? She  
sure seemed to have attracted your attention."

"Elizabeth has excellent taste in literature, but I know no more than that." Charles answered.

"Then allow me to enlighten you," the Captain smirked. "The raven haired beauty that is Elizabeth Wilde is a journalist   
from the states touring MASH units in the hope of laying her sky blue eyes on one write a series of articles about."

That explains why she said she'll be around for a while. "I trust you've tried your best to leave a good impression on her   
Pierce."

"Oh, he tried, but he didn't get anywhere," Margaret told him from across the table.

Charles smirked under his mask.

"Maybe you'll have better luck Chuck," BJ quipped.

"She does see to share your interests Major. Perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea for you to talk with her," Col. Potter said.

"If Elizabeth wishes to speak with me then I will happily oblige, but I will not bend over backwards just so that she will  
write her articles about our camp," Charles told them. "Not only would it be demeaning to me, but it would also be an insult  
to Ms. Wilde to presume she could be so easily swayed."

"Well said Charles," Elizabeth said as she strolled into the O.R. "And there's no need to have him charm me, I've already  
started writing about all of you."

"What is it that finally won you over?" Potter asked.

"It certainly couldn't have been Pierce's charm," Margaret joked.

"If he hadn't tried so hard it might've worked, but what won me was the Major. He was charming even before he knew who I   
was, and when I saw all of you working together I saw infinite potential for my series." Elizabeth smiled under her mask.   
"I began typing up the first article when you all went in here. I decided to take a walk and give my fingers a rest for  
a bit though."

"And the O.R. is the brighter for it," Charles said while stitching up his patient.

"You certainly have a way with words Charles," she said with a blush and a smile while walking over to his table as a new  
patient was laid in front of him.

"Thank you, that's quite the compliment coming from a journalist."

"A deserved one." She nodded to reinforce the statement. "Now, I will leave you all to your work so that I may return to   
mine." With that Elizabeth left the O.R. and walked back to her tent, curtiously nodding to those she passed. Once inside  
she grinned to herself. "I really must find a way to thank that lovely Dr. Freedman for suggesting this place.

***

"I'm glad I got the opportunity to talk to you Ms. Wilde," Sydney said as he took a seat in the 8063rd mess tent.

"I've been wanting to talk to you too Dr. Freedman, though I wonder if it's for the same reason." She smiled at the   
psychiatrist as he sat across from her.

"You probably want an interview, but I wanted to help you in another manner."

She chuckled. "You're right about wanting an interview, but I'm interested in hearing how you plan to help me."

Sydney smiled. "I heard that you're still searching for a MASH unit to write your series about."

"You heard right. I take it you know of a unit that would be perfect," she said, rather sceptically.

"Indeed I do. The 4077th. They're one of the best there is at performing meatball surgery. They have the highest survival   
rate. The people are good friends of mine. I go there from time to time when I'm not feeling myself."

"Sounds interesting. Care to tell me more?"

"The 4077th is impossible to properly describe in words, the camp and the people must be experienced to understand what   
makes them great." Sydney could only hope none of this got back to his friends, he adores them, but Hawkeye's head was   
already big enough.

"Okay, you've convinced me. I recognize the unit number, other have suggested it, but never gave me any solid reasons   
before. I can't wait to meet everyone."


End file.
